What Peak Bloom Means and Why It (sort of) Matters

So what exactly is “peak bloom” anyway? When does it happen? And does it matter?

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms - March 24, 2016 taken by David Coleman.
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The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 17, 2024. That's the second-earliest on record.

RELATED:
Latest Updates on the 2024 Bloom
Peak Bloom Forecasts in Detail

News reports and cherry blossom watchers often talk about the “peak bloom” date. But that’s not exactly the same thing as what we might commonly call “full bloom” or the “blooming period.”

Often the news reports themselves get confused. If the National Park Service predicts that peak bloom will be April 8-12, it doesn’t mean that the flowers will start blooming on April 8 and stop on April 12, which is how some (but not all) news reports wrongly interpret it. It also doesn’t mean that they’ll even be in full bloom for that entire time.

So it’s useful to know what that means if you’re planning your visit. The peak bloom date is an important milestone in the process, but it’s not the only day you can see beautiful cherry blossoms.

What the Peak Bloom Predictions Mean

The official forecast for the peak bloom period is issued by the National Park Service. It is their horticulturists that look after these remarkable trees. Their predictions are based on a mix of historical data, weather observations and forecasts, long experience in working hands-on with the trees (some of the NPS horticulturists are at least second-generation cherry blossom carers), and direct observations of a specific group of trees.

In particular, they look at the maximum temperatures in the weeks leading up to the bloom and convert those into a kind of point system called Growing Degree Days, which is a standard calculation system used for plants and crops that calculates what accumulation of temperatures will push them from their winter dormancy to full bloom.

The first, provisional NPS prediction of the season is generally issued around the beginning of March.

More recently, another group has joined the cherry blossom peak bloom prediction fray: the Washington Post‘s Capital Weather Gang. They rely heavily on detailed analysis of historical weather data and weather forecasting models.

When they issue their predictions, both groups put forward a date range of usually four to five days. In 2013, for instance, one of the official NPS predictions was for April 3 to April 6. What that means is that they predict that at some point during the period April 3 to April 6, a threshold will be crossed of 70 percent of the blossoms being open. The day that the NPS arborists judge that that threshold has been crossed will then become the “peak bloom” day, and they announce that retrospectively either on that day or a day or two after. That usually falls within a 4 to 5-day stretch when we might consider the blossoms to be in full bloom (and looking beautiful).

It’s important to keep a few things in mind about “peak bloom”:

  • Peak bloom predictions change. It is simply a prediction, and lots of variables come into play. If the National Park Service is issuing a prediction in early March for the bloom in early April, they’re relying in large part on weather forecasts for the coming month. And we all know that a weather forecast a month out needs to be taken with a very large bucket-load of salt. It’s normal for the predictions to be revised in the weeks leading up to the blooming. It’s not until 10 days or so out that the NPS experts feel confident in their prediction.
  • It’s a very specific point in the process. It’s defined at the point that 70 percent of the blossoms are open, a judgment made by the National Park Service arborists.
  • It’s a day, not several days, on which it is judged 70 percent of the blossoms are open. A prediction of peak bloom being reached between April 3 and April 6, for example, means they expect it to fall on one of those days, not all of them.
  • It’s a technical judgment, not an aesthetic one. The trees look beautiful at least 2-3 days before the peak bloom date and for at least 2-3 days after. I’ve put together a photographic guide of what to expect and when.
  • It’s an average. Some trees will naturally be a bit ahead of that and some a bit behind.
  • You don’t have to be there on the technical peak bloom day to see beautiful flowers. You can think of the peak bloom date as centering a period of about 5 to 6 days when we might commonly call full bloom. For at least 3 to 4 days before the peak bloom day, you can still expect to see flowers coming out, and for several days after, you’ll still be greeted with floral fireworks as the flowers turned light pink before dropping off. Within a week or so of peak bloom (sometimes a little longer if conditions are right), the trees will have shed their blossoms and be a fresh green color as the leaves come through. So you certainly shouldn’t be disappointed if you miss the peak bloom date by a couple of days either way (actually, I personally prefer the way they look the few days after the peak bloom date). So if you’re planning your visit, by all means use the “peak bloom” as a guide, but it’s not the end of the world if you can’t get there on that specific day.

Wondering what to expect if you visit a few days before or after peak bloom? Take a look at this photo timeline, which shows the progression from about a week before peak bloom to about a week after.

The Blooming Period

If “peak bloom” refers to a specific day, the NPS also sometimes refers to a “blooming period,” which is probably much more useful for visitors. Because, after all, you just want to know when you can see the trees looking beautiful.

The “blooming period” is a span of several days, perhaps even a week or so, starting when 20 percent of the blossoms are open. It ends when the leaves take over and the flower petals have all fallen. In short, the blooming period is when you can expect to see the flowers. Unfortunately, the focus on the more technical “peak bloom” in news reports and forecasts has meant that “blooming period” hasn’t yet gotten much traction.

When to Visit DC to See the Cherry Blossoms

On average, the blooms come out around the last week of March through the first week of April, and that’s typically a good time to aim for if you’re planning on visiting. But precisely when peak bloom occurs depends on the weather in the weeks and months leading up to it. And there’s no guarantee it will even fall within that period–sometimes it’s earlier, and sometimes it’s later.

That’s because the peak date is heavily dependent on local weather conditions in the months leading up to it. Warmer, sunnier conditions through the late winter and early spring bring an earlier bloom. Sustained cold, wintry weather delays it. Unseasonably warm and sunny conditions in 1990 helped bring an early peak on March 15, and very cold conditions in 1958 delayed the peak bloom until April 18, the earliest and latest blooms on record.

The average peak bloom since 1921 is April 3, but in the past decade or so the peak bloom has trended earlier than the overall average. But to give an idea of how variable it can be, the peak bloom date for 2012 was March 20. The following year it was April 9.1

Here are the official peak bloom dates for the past decade:

1938March 25
1937April 14
1936April 7
1935April 1
1934April 15
1933April 9
1932April 15
1931April 11
1930April 1
1929March 31
1928April 8
1927March 20
1926April 11
1925March 27
1924April 13
1923April 9
1922April 7
1921March 20

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is typically scheduled over about 3 1/2 weeks from late-March to mid-April. The hope is that the blossoms will come out at some point during that period, but it’s very unlikely they’ll be out for the duration.

Monthly Average Temperatures Leading into the Bloom

Average temperatures aren’t the whole story when it comes to when the cherry blossoms will come out, but they are a big part of it. Sustained warmer-than-average temperatures will bring them out sooner, while sustained colder-than-average temperatures will be delay them.

Here’s a breakdown of how much the average monthly temperature varied from the historical average for the months leading up to that year’s bloom.

DecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarchPeak Bloom Date
2023-24+3.8+2.3+4.4+9.4March 17
2022-23-1.6+7.7+6.8+1.5ˤMarch 23
2021-22+5.9-2.9+2.6+5.0March 21
2020-21+1.7+2.6-1.2+4.2March 28
2019-20+2.4+6.4+4.8+7.3*March 20
2018-19+3.8+1.2+3.2+0.0April 1
2017-18-0.5-0.3+6.3-3.2April 5
2016-17+2.1+6.1+8.7-0.7*March 25
2015-16+11.5-1.1+0.9+6.5*March 25
2014-15+4.0-0.4-8.7-1.5April 10
2013-14+2.6-3.8-1.2-3.9April 10
2012-13+5.9+4.3-0.7-3.0April 9
2011-12+4.9+4.7+5.3+10March 20
2010-11-1.3+3.6-0.9March 29
Data sources: National Weather Service / National Park Service.
ˤ = partial month, in progress
* = up until peak bloom

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as averaging the averages to predict the bloom date. For the 2014 and 2015 blooms, for example, the peak bloom date was the same, but the averages across January and February are different for those years, as are the averages across January, February, and March. And the December temperatures don’t figure as much as February-March ones.

Frequency of Specific Peak Bloom Dates Since 1921

This chart shows how many times peak bloom has fallen on a particular day since records started being kept in 1921. The earliest recorded peak bloom was March 15 (1990). The latest was April 18 (1958). The most common dates for peak bloom are April 2, 6, 7, and 9. Since 1921, the overall average peak bloom date has been April 3.

Frequency of Specific Peak Bloom Dates Since 1993

And here’s the same thing but looking only at the past two decades. As you can see, the dates are weighted a little earlier in recent years. Over the past two decades, the average peak bloom date has been March 31.2

Average Peak Bloom Dates by Decade

1921-1930April 2
1931-1940April 7
1941-1950April 2
1951-1960April 7
1961-1970April 7
1971-1980April 4
1981-1990March 31
1991-2000March 31
2001-2010April 1
2011-2020March 29

Peak Bloom Dates

Here are the official peak bloom dates since 1921.2

2024March 17
2023March 23
2022March 21
2021March 28
2020March 20
2019April 1
2018April 5
2017March 25
2016March 25
2015April 10
2014April 10
2013April 9
2012March 20
2011March 29
2010March 31
2009April 1
2008March 29
2007April 1
2006March 30
2005April 9
2004March 31
2003April 2
2002April 2
2001April 6
2000March 17
1999April 5
1998March 27
1997March 26
1996April 4
1995April 2
1994April 5
1993April 11
1992April 7
1991March 29
1990March 15
1989March 29
1988March 31
1987March 28
1986April 2
1985April 7
1984April 3
1983April 7
1982April 7
1981April 3
1980April 6
1979April 2
1978April 12
1977March 26
1976March 23
1975April 3
1974April 3
1973April 11
1972April 11
1971April 8
1970April 16
1969April 9
1968March 30
1967April 6
1966April 5
1965April 15
1964April 11
1963April 3
1962April 7
1961April 2
1960April 14
1959April 6
1958April 18
1957April 8
1956April 6
1955April 2
1954April 6
1953March 27
1952April 9
1951April 6
1950April 9
1949March 29
1948March 28
1947April 12
1946March 23
1945March 20
1944April 9
1943April 4
1942April 5
1941April 12
1940April 13
1939March 30
1938March 25
1937April 14
1936April 7
1935April 1
1934April 15
1933April 9
1932April 15
1931April 11
1930April 1
1929March 31
1928April 8
1927March 20
1926April 11
1925March 27
1924April 13
1923April 9
1922April 7
1921March 20

  1. The National Park Service uses the date April 4 as the average peak bloom date. 
  2. Data source: National Park Service Historic Peak Bloom Dates

Discussion

  1. Dave,
    If I get there Tuesday of this week do you think it will still be pretty substantial or does it start to get spotty after a thunderstorm on Monday ?
    I’m guessing it will be massively crowded on Easter. Was hoping I could beat some of the crowd .. Ha!

    Thank you,
    Kyle

    Reply
    • It’s really impossible to say. There will almost certainly be some left, but whether it will be a “substantial” amount, I really don’t know. The timing of the rain certainly won’t help, but it depends on how much we get and whether it’s followed with wind.

      Reply
      • hmmm … good point … maybe I’ll chance coming in on Easter. With any luck a bit less of a crowd if people are with Family.

        Is there parking nearby on Sunday/Holiday .. Probably get there for Sunrise. Looks like a grey day for sure. I’m guessing the colors should be completely “true” in that case, although I had hoped to get the glinting sun … Oh well

        Reply
        • Or they might bring their families with them…. 😉 Parking will be tough during the day, and sorry, only just getting to this now, so chances are you’ve already braved the sunrise. Hope it worked out.

  2. Pretty disappointed. With the cold weather this weekend it looks like I will have to cancel my trip to DC as the cherry blossoms won’t be visible.

    Reply
    • It’s likely that the main cherry blossoms will be at least on their way out and possibly gone by then. There might be some late stragglers to see. It really depends on how much the cold weather we’ll be getting in a few days will put the brakes on things and what sort of weather we get after the peak bloom. If the peak bloom ends up coming mid- to late-next week, the flowers could be mostly gone by April 1. If the peak bloom comes a few days later and we get favorable conditions after, there might still be some left to see by April 1. This timeline should help. It’s also likely that the Kwanzan cherry trees won’t be blooming yet.

      Reply
  3. The cherry blossom information is very helpful. I have made travel arrangements to arrive on April 8……It that date too late to see the blooms this year?

    Reply
    • At this pace, unfortunately it looks like the main ones will be long gone by then. But there’s another variety that blooms a couple of weeks after the Yoshino variety (ie. the main ones). There aren’t as many, but they’re very pretty when blooming. You can find more information about them here.

      Reply

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